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Degrassi to warp the concept of reality on MTV Canada

A talk show called After Degrassi will try and fulfill unwanted license requirements

Drake and the Degrassi gang.

Marc Weisblott

Published: September 23, 2013 - 4:00 PM

Updated: September 24, 2013 - 9:49 AM

Canada’s version of MTV launched in 2006 with many shows that may or may not have been based on actual events — but were still depitcted as unscripted.

Such programming nonetheless a red flag at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in 2010, as the federal regulator sought to enforce the MTV Canada license that specifically stipulated topical conversation-based programming — as originally granted in 1996 for a CTV spin-off channel called Talk-TV.

The increased focus on reality shows on MTV in the U.S., however, provided a window of opportunity for a similar formula to be replicated to some degree on a Canadian station.

Bell Media executives even managed to successfully stick up for the programming philosophy in the face of the attempted crackdown.

Jersey Shore, in particular, was described by the company’s regulatory vice-president as a show that “documents the private discussions of a group of young New Jersey residents as they navigate issues affecting their lives, including, but not limited to, dating, careers and parties.”

The limits of that looser license interpretation will presumably be put to a further test on Oct. 3, though, as MTV in Canada will become the outlet for a homegrown show that is definitely scripted: Degrassi.

A fixture of CTV for about a decade after its 2001 reboot, the show moved to specialty channel MuchMusic in 2010, although the forthcoming channel change is likely tied to Much’s shift this season to more comedy shows alongside its musical obligations.

When something similar was attempted on MTV’s broadcast of The Hills, it turned into a success story of its own, as its After Show provided a dorky Canadian take on the high-gloss depiction of life in L.A.

Since then, the stars of The Hills revealed that their show was essentially scripted. Presumably, lines are similarly blurred on current imported MTV Canada staples like Campus PD, Catfish and Teen Mom.

But could the CRTC ever regulate the extent to which reality shows are telling the truth?

So, in the continuation of its 34-year history as a fictional franchise, Degrassi might be the most honest MTV prime-time offering of them all.